1. RIGHT TO REPAIR PORTAL (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Centre has urged automobile companies to join the unified Right to Repair Portal India, aiming to empower consumers with easier access to repair services and information.

Right to Repair Portal

• About: It manufacturers would share the manual of product details with customers so that they could either repair by self or by third parties, rather than depend on original manufacturers.
• Initial Coverage: Initially, mobile phones, electronics, consumer durables, automobiles, and farming equipment would be covered.
• Launched by: Department of Consumer Affairs
• Objective: To provide consumers with an easy access to information for repairing their products and enabling them to reuse it.

Right to Repair 

• About: It refers to government legislation that aims to allow consumers the ability to repair and modify their own consumer electronic devices, instead of being restricted to the manufacturer’s services.
• Ownership Rights: When customers buy a product, they should completely own it, including the ability to repair and modify it easily and at a reasonable cost, without being dependent on manufacturers for repairs.
• Historical Origin: The concept began in the USA with the Motor Vehicle Owners' Right to Repair Act of 2012, which required manufacturers to provide necessary documents and information to allow anyone to repair their vehicles.
• Objective: The law aims to harmonize trade between Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) and third-party buyers and sellers, creating new jobs in the process.
• Global Adoption: US, UK, and European Union.

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2. PRIMARY AMOEBIC MENINGOENCEPHALITIS (Syllabus GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: In the past two months, Kerala has reported four cases of the rare but deadly primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), resulting in three deaths.

Primary Amoebic Meningoencephalitis (PAM)

• About: It is caused by Naegleria fowleri, an amoeba that thrives in warm freshwater environments such as lakes, ponds, and rivers.
• Also Known as: Brain Eating Amoeba, because it can cause a brain infection when water containing the amoeba goes up the nose.
• Causes of Increased Risk: Experts suggest that warming of the atmosphere and stagnant, unhygienic water sources are conditions that promote the infection.

oThe amoeba is more active in warm water.

• Symptoms: Headache, fever, Nausea, or Vomiting.

oLater Symptoms: Stiff neck, confusion, lack of attention to people and surroundings, seizures, hallucinations, and coma.

• Vulnerability: Recent cases indicate that children are more vulnerable to the infection.
• Non-Contagious Nature: The infection does not spread from person to person, nor does swallowing water containing the amoeba cause the infection.
• Treatment: Combination of drugs, often including amphotericin B, azithromycin, fluconazole, rifampin, miltefosine, and dexamethasone.

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3. INDIA'S DEFENCE PRODUCTION (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Security/Economy)

Context: India achieved its highest-ever growth in indigenous defence production value during FY 2023-24, as announced by the defence ministry.

India's Defence Production

• Record-High Production in FY 2023-24: The value of defence production reached ₹1,26,887 crore, marking a 16.7% increase from the previous fiscal year.
• Contribution Breakdown: DPSUs and other PSUs contributed 79.2%, while the private sector contributed 20.8% to the total defence production in 2023-24.
• Growth Since 2019-20: Defence production has grown by over 60% from ₹79,071 crore in 2019-20 to ₹1,26,887 crore in 2023-24.
• Range of Defence Products: India manufactures a diverse range of defence items including Tejas LCA, helicopters, warships, tanks, artillery guns, missiles, rockets, and military vehicles.
• Defence Exports Surge: Defence exports in FY 2023-24 reached ₹21,083 crore, a 32.5% increase from the previous fiscal year, demonstrating robust growth.

Government Initiatives to Boost Defence Exports

• IDR Act Reform: Rationalization of Defence Products list for Industrial License and extended validity from 3 years to 15 years.
• iDEX and DTIS Schemes: Initiatives like iDEX and DTIS foster innovation and strengthen defence testing infrastructure to enhance defence manufacturing capabilities.
• FDI Policy Enhancement: FDI limits in the Defence Sector increased up to 74% via Automatic Route and up to 100% via Government Route to attract foreign investments.
• Defence Industrial Corridors: Established in Tamil Nadu and Uttar Pradesh to promote local defence manufacturing clusters leveraging existing infrastructure and human capital.
• DPEPP 2020: Defence Production and Export Promotion Policy 2020 aims to bolster self-reliance and export capabilities through structured guidelines.

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4. SEHER PROGRAM (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship platform and credit bure have collaborated to launch the SEHER programme.

SEHER Program

• About: It aims to empower women entrepreneurs in India through financial literacy and business skills.

o SEHER facilitates improved access to credit and financial resources specifically tailored for women-led businesses.

• Founders: It is a collaboration between NITI Aayog's Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP) and TransUnion CIBIL.
• Focus: It provides essential knowledge on credit scores, loan eligibility, and financial planning to women entrepreneurs.
• Supporting MSMEs: The initiative aligns with WEP’s objective to enhance financing opportunities for women within India’s vast MSME sector.

Women Entrepreneurship Platform (WEP)

• Foundation: NITI Aayog in 2018, WEP transitioned to a public-private partnership in 2022 to foster a holistic support ecosystem for women entrepreneurs.
• Objective: WEP aims to empower women entrepreneurs by bridging information gaps and offering support across multiple facets: Entrepreneurship promotion, Access to Finance, Market Linkages, Training and Skilling, Mentoring and Networking, and Business Development Services.

About TransUnion CIBIL

• About: It is India’s leading provider of information and insights, enabling trust in the modern economy by offering reliable marketplace representations.
• Objective: The company’s solutions empower millions of Indians by facilitating economic opportunities, positive consumer experiences, and personal empowerment.

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5. VAQUITA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: The world's most endangered marine mammal, the vaquita, is teetering on the edge of extinction.

Vaquita

• About: It is the world's rarest marine mammal, is on the edge of extinction.
• Scientific Name: Phocoena sinus
• Habitat: They inhabit the northern part of the Gulf of California, preferring shallow waters up to

    50 meters deep.

• Population: 10 individuals
• Lifespan: 21 Years
• Features:

o Size and Weight: Vaquitas are 4 to 5 feet long and weigh between 65 to 120 pounds, making them the smallest cetaceans.

o Physical Characteristics: They have chunky bodies, rounded heads without snouts, and are mostly dark gray with lighter undersides and distinct black facial patches.

o Unique Dorsal Fin: Their dorsal fins are taller and wider compared to other porpoises, contributing to their distinctive appearance.

• Conservation Status: Critically Endangered
• Threats: The only known threat to the vaquita is getting caught in fishing gear, especially gillnets.

Conservation Efforts

• Establishment of CIRVA: In 1996, Mexico founded the International Committee for the Recovery of the Vaquita (CIRVA).
• CIRVA's mandate is to develop and oversee a comprehensive vaquita recovery plan.

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6. NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (Syllabus: GS Paper 2 – Polity)

Context: The recent appointment of an Additional National Security Advisor (ANSA) and restructuring of reporting lines within the National Security Council Secretariat (NSCS) and with Union ministries has gone largely unnoticed despite its significance.

National Security Council

• About: It is an executive agency of India, headed by Prime Minister of India.
• Establishment: November 19, 1998, by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, with Brajesh Mishra as its first National Security Advisor.
• Role: The NSC of India advises the Prime Minister's Office on national security and strategic interests.
• Predecessor: Before the NSC, these responsibilities were managed by the Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister.
• Composition: Members include the National Security Advisor (NSA), Deputy NSAs, and Ministers of Defence, External Affairs, Home, and Finance, along with the Vice Chairman of NITI Aayog.
• Appointment Process: Appointments Committee of the Cabinet (ACC) chaired by PM and Home Minister.
• Responsible for appointments like the National Security Advisor.
• Organisational Structure

o Apex Body: The NSC serves as the highest authority within India's three-tiered national security management structure.

o Three Tiers: Includes the Strategic Policy Group, the National Security Advisory Board, and a secretariat provided by the Joint Intelligence Committee.

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7. AFRICAN SWINE FLU (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Sci and Tech)

Context: The Centre reassured that the African swine flu, currently spreading in a few pig farms in Kerala, is non-zoonotic and poses no threat to humans.

African Swine Flu

• About: ASF is a severe viral disease that affects wild and domestic pigs typically resulting in an acute haemorrhagic fever.
• Symptoms: Vomiting, Diarrhea,reddening or darkening of the skin, particularly ears and snout, gummed up eyes etc
• Threat: ASF is not a threat to human health and cannot be transmitted from pigs to humans.
• Lack of Vaccine: Currently, there is no effective vaccine available to combat ASF.
• Initial Detection: ASF was first identified in Africa during the 1920s.
• Global situation: ASF continues to spread worldwide, threatening pig health and welfare. The disease has reached multiple countries across Asia, the Caribbean, Europe, and the Pacific, affecting both domestic and wild pigs.
• In India: It was first confirmed in Arunachal Pradesh and Assam in February-March 2020.
• Vaccine: Currently, there is no effective vaccine available against ASF, so prevention by adopting strict biosecurity measures is the only way to prevent ASF.

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8. DIGITAL BHARAT NIDHI (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Economy)

Context: The Department of Telecommunications (DoT) has unveiled draft rules for implementing the Digital Bharat Nidhi, aiming to bolster telecom connectivity in rural India as part of the government's renewed efforts.

Digital Bharat Nidhi

• About: It would replace the erstwhile Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF), which is a pool of funds generated by a 5 per cent Universal Service Levy charged upon all the telecom fund operators on their Adjusted Gross Revenue (AGR).
• Objective: The primary aim of DBN is to enhance and extend internet connectivity across India, with a specific focus on rural, remote, and economically disadvantaged urban areas.
• Transformation of USOF: The DBN initiative marks a shift from the Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF) to redirect resources towards improving accessibility and reach of phone services nationwide.

How the Digital Bharat Nidhi will work

• Contributions and Consolidated Fund of India: Telecom companies' contributions are initially credited to the Consolidated Fund of India (CFI), where all government revenues and expenditures are managed under the Telecom Act.
• Depositing Funds to DBN: The Centre periodically deposits collected funds into the Digital Bharat Nidhi (DBN) account.
• Funding Modalities: Administrators decide funding types like full, partial, co-funding, market risk mitigation, and risk capital for DBN implementers.
• Targeted Groups: DBN funds schemes targeting underserved groups: women, persons with disabilities, and economically weaker sections.
• Project Criteria:

o Projects funded by DBN must focus on:

o Next-generation telecom technologies

o Affordable services in rural, remote, and urban areas

o Innovation, research, and indigenous technology development

o Start-up encouragement in telecom sector

Universal Service Obligation Fund (USOF)

• Aim: To provide for quality and affordable mobile and digital services across the rural and remote areas of the country.
• Headed by: Administrator, USO Fund who is appointed by the Central Government, for the administration of the fund.
• Origin of Concept: Introduced by Rowland Hill in 1837 with his postal reforms. 

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9. COFFEE PRODUCTION IN INDIA (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Agriculture)

Context: Robusta coffee bean prices in India have surged to match premium arabica beans amid production setbacks caused by drought in key producing countries such as Brazil and Vietnam.

Coffee Production in India

• About: It is the second most important beverage in India, following tea.
• Origin from: Abyssinia Plateau (Ethiopia), it was introduced to India by Baba Budan in the 17th century from Arabia.
• Establishment in India: Baba Budan first planted coffee in the Baba Budan Hills of Karnataka.
• India produces two types of coffee: Arabica and Robusta.
• Conditions of Growth:

o Climate: Hot and humid climates.

o Temperature: From 15°C to 28°C.

o Rainfall: between 150 to 250 cm annually.

o Soil: Prefers well-drained, rich friable loams with ample humus and minerals like iron and calcium.

• Major States: Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu.

o India contributes about 15% of the world’s coffee. Most of it (about 70%) comes from Karnataka alone. 

o The state’s primary coffee-growing areas include Chikkamagaluru, Hassan, Madikeri and Kodagu, according to Chengappa.

• Global Distribution: Brazil, Vietnam, Colombia, Indonesia.

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10. ARCTIC WILDFIRE (Syllabus: GS Paper 3 – Env and Eco)

Context: Smoke from raging wildfires has once again darkened the skies over the Arctic.

Arctic Wildfire

• About: The Arctic region is warming approximately four times faster than the global average, with temperatures rising about 3 degrees Celsius since 1980. This accelerated warming creates conditions conducive to wildfires.
• Increased Lightning Activity: As temperatures rise, there is a higher frequency of lightning strikes in the Arctic. Lightning-sparked fires have more than doubled in areas like Alaska and the Northwest Territories since 1975, contributing significantly to wildfire occurrences.
• Thunderstorm Patterns: Warming temperatures alter atmospheric conditions, promoting thunderstorm formation. Thunderstorms bring more lightning strikes, further increasing the ignition risk for wildfires in the Arctic.
• All three factors: Rising temperatures, more frequent lightning and heatwaves — will most likely worsen in the coming years, thereby causing more wildfires in the Arctic. 

o By 2050, it is estimated that wildfires in the Arctic and around the world could increase by one-third, according to a report by the World Wild Fund.

Impact of Arctic Wildfires on Global Warming

• Release of Greenhouse Gases (GHGs): Wildfires release greenhouse gases (GHGs) such as carbon dioxide (CO2) when burning vegetation.
• Increased wildfire frequency globally contributes significantly to climate change.
• Impact on Permafrost: Arctic wildfires pose a greater risk due to their potential to thaw permafrost, releasing vast stores of carbon. The region's permafrost holds an estimated 1,700 billion metric tons of carbon, significantly more than annual global fossil fuel emissions.
• Threshold of Climate Change: Thawing permafrost from widespread wildfires could breach the critical 1.5 degrees Celsius warming threshold, leading to irreversible environmental consequences globally.

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